Photo (from left): Tom McGrath, Vermont Clean Cities Coordinator; Allie Evarts, Clean Cities Intern; and Jim Barr, Director of Transportation and Parking Services at UVM stand in front of a UVM Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus.

Clean Fleets Program

The Vermont Clean Cities Coalition (VTCCC) will be leading the creation a New England Clean Fleets program and certification, which will rate fleets as a way to recognize the efforts of organizations who actively strive to reduce petroleum fuel consumption.  The certification is not aimed just at local fleets, but also larger operations that run through the New England region.  This project is part of a larger grant award from the US Department of Energy to the New England Regional Clean Cities Coalition, a group including coalitions from Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  The grant award is for “Removing Barriers, Implementing Policies and Advancing Alternative Fuel Markets in New England.”  This covers several projects beyond the clean fleets program, including a fleet manager’s survey, co-led by VTCCC, and projects led by others, such as CNG workshops, biodiesel workshops, safety and training initiatives, and research on barriers to alternative fuels.  View the press release here

Re-designation

VTCCC has officially been re-designated for another three years by the US Department of Energy.  The DOE cited outreach efforts and awareness building around alternative fuels in their announcement, as well as the coalition’s programs, such as the Campus Transportation Toolkit and Eco-Driving. 

Clean Cities Coordinator Council

VTCCC Coordinator Tom McGrath was elected as Northeast Representative to the national Clean Cities Council by his peers.  This will involve participation in various council activities, such as progress reports, goal setting, and communication with coalitions around the region.  McGrath’s specific assignment on the council will be managing the Clean Cities Buddy System, which partners new coordinators with experienced peers for assistance and support in their new role. 

Upcoming Clean Cities Event:

VT Clean Cities Coalition Stakeholder Meeting, Sugar Maple Ballroom, Davis Center, UVM

Featured Speaker: Larry Beaulieu, UPS East Region Automotive Manager. Full agenda here. Register here.